Police shoot teenage boy dead in Northcote (2 Viewers)

[russianROULETTE]

i agree with the premise that at the end of the day a 15 year old boy is now dead and thats a shameful state for the world to be in etc

i wonder what people would be saying if he was an adult. people have this 'aww poor baaaaaaaby' attitude because he's only a teen, if he were an adult i bet the people in the article would side with the police.

from what was written in the article, the police officers' actions sound justifiable.

 

[fallenstar]

think if they sprayed him twice, told him to put them down and shot into the air as a warning he probably should have stopped. Shooting him was the right decision in the circumstances.

I agree. Reports hold that he backed a police officer into a corner and held the knife close to them. In that context, shooting was the only action available given the failure of the pepper spray.
However, people have questioned why THREE police shot at once and why they all shot in the chest and stomach - could they have shot him in the leg or somewhere less likely to cause a fatality? I don't know.
But I think overall in context it was the right action to choose.

 

[zstar]

Personally I hate cops and any other person that has to get his authority from up higher instead of earning it.

 

[blue_chameleon]

Personally I hate cops and any other person that has to get his authority from up higher instead of earning it.

That post makes absolutely no sense.

Do not​

fire warning shots.

Oops. Looks like that's something that will come up in the investigation. But then again, argument as to that being the only precursor available instead of actually shooting the kid will probably be used in their defence.

I can't see how any policeman would want to willingly use their pistol in the circumstances reported. Will wait and see what develops.

 

[08er]

His death could be averted had the police used stun guns instead.

 

[tem197]

The problem is police are incompetently trained on use of weapons, or so I've heard so when it comes to firing a gun their accuracy is appaling.

Why wasn't a shoot to the leg suffice? Was it attempted? Were the police unprepared for firing their weapons?

police are not trained to aim for someones leg so the person cant walk very quickly anymore, theyre trained to aim for the body so they do not miss and hit a civilian in the background.

could you imagine trying to shoot someones shins while theyre walking? it would be very difficult with a small handgun.

you aim for the body because you will not miss.

anyone who thinks the police should have just stood their and let this kid run at them weilding knives - think about it, imagine if you were in their situation. did the police deserve to get stabbed just because the person holding the knife is young??
if you were in their situation you would have done the same thing.

not to mention the fact that he was on drugs from the sounds of it, a 5 foot 8 person running at you with knives, they fired 2 initial shots which did not stop him - this would have been one of those rare times when lethal force was neccessary.

anyway thats just my opinion, imagine if you were in the police officers shoes. they dont have many options, especially once pepper spray hasnt worked, what else could they do??

 

[P.T.F.E]

have u seen is myspace it send shivers down ur back to think that he was here now gone. but life is unpredictable and if u put ur self in these situations u have no control over ur own life.
15 is too young but he doesnt sound like a straight kid, like evry 5 secs sounds like he was into the bundy, now if he was too young to die he was too young to drink, u have to be responsible to justify the argument.
i know kids that sound like him and th fact is that they would probably harm a cop. the head lines could have easily said

15yr OLD BOY STABS COP TO DEATH

then a cop who was protecting the community is dead and the kid is in gaol the rest of his life.
shit happens and life is sad sometimes, but thats life for u.
his mum, if she is so damn upset about him being shot should have kept a better eye on him, known what he was up too and protect him from drugs and violence.
generation y for u. and all his aussie pride, he doesnt reflect AUSTRALIA AT ALL.
that is my opinion.

 

[miegoreng]

SUre, it's just the at the punishmnt -life- was totally disp[ropriortionate to the crime.; My heart bleeds for the kid, even if her was a bad aegg.. He was Fif-fucking-teen. It's a tragedhy and the police shouldve had alternative options from "approaching knife attack" top "death"/ Shud watch the abc woman. It was a wverty moving account

It's not punishment, it's self-defence. Don't waste ur sadness on that kid. How many good people die everyday in truly unfair circumstances? Get ur priorities right! The police didn't have alternative options, so what they did was right.

 

[Graney]

Really what's the point in saying this? Unless someone's saying "NO NEED FOR AN INVESTIGATION HERE FOLKS!"

That seems to be what several posters here are implying e.g. #3 #4 #6 etc...

"I'm not sure why everyone is questioning the police.", "can't believe they can even question the police for their actions, thats just stupid.",
"I don't think the police should be questioned regarding their action"

These comments disgust me. The police should always be fully accountable. Obviously there's the due legal investigation into the case, but they should always be questioned by and fully accountable to the public also.

There should absolutely be scrutiny and total scepticism about police actions until proven otherwise.

Police are no less trustworthy than solicitors, no less trustworthy then Supreme Court Justices and no less trustworthy than eminent QC's.

It's far easier to get away with misconduct in the field than it is in a court of law. Solicitors, Justices and QC's don't plant drugs on people.

 

[P.T.F.E]

It's far easier to get away with misconduct in the field than it is in a court of law. Solicitors, Justices and QC's don't plant drugs on people.

OOO SOMEONE DOESNT LIKE COPS. WELL IF THEY ARE SOO BAD Y DO THEY PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. OBVIOUSLY U HAV EXPERIENCED BAD COPS BUT U MUST REMEBER MOST ARE QUITE BRILLIANT AND HEROIC AT TIMES.

IF THEY ARE PLACED THRU MASSIVE INVESTIGATIONS EVRYTIME THEY DO SOMTHING WE WILL HAVE NO COPS SOON.

THE BOY TYLER CASSIDY AGED 15 SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE, JUST LIKE OTHER BEFORE HIM. LIKE I SAID BEFORE IN MY OTHER POST.

 

[incentivation]

It's far easier to get away with misconduct in the field than it is in a court of law. Solicitors, Justices and QC's don't plant drugs on people.

Of course, most police do. Upwards of 50%.

Give me a break.

The instances of such misconduct are plainly minimal, and to cast aspersions across the entire profession reeks of ignorance. The Judicial process is there to search for the truth, and ensure arbitrary justice doesn't rule.

I would place my life in that hands of a police officer over a professional in the legal field any day of the year. I'm also sure most in the community would share this sentiment.

It's very easy to generalise in a negative way. After all. solicitors just use what ever means necessary to denigrate a persons character and remove any sense of credibility that previously existed.

 

[Graney]

The instances of such misconduct are plainly minimal

The NSW police force has been riddled with constant corruption scandals for decades. There's nothing minimal about them.

They have a fuckload of power and a proven history of abusing it. They should be subject to the finest scrutiny from the public.

 

[Iron]

Strange comparison

If I were the constable, i'd empty my gun and chock the fella in the head with it, or, you know, take him on with my batton

 

[Tristanator]

LOL @ Skynews!

They've been running a story all day about the rigerous training that police must undergo for such situations and how the police in this situation would have acted 'professionally and with the good of society in mind'

LOL at biased media...

 

[boris]

OOO SOMEONE DOESNT LIKE COPS. WELL IF THEY ARE SOO BAD Y DO THEY PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. OBVIOUSLY U HAV EXPERIENCED BAD COPS BUT U MUST REMEBER MOST ARE QUITE BRILLIANT AND HEROIC AT TIMES.

IF THEY ARE PLACED THRU MASSIVE INVESTIGATIONS EVRYTIME THEY DO SOMTHING WE WILL HAVE NO COPS SOON.

THE BOY TYLER CASSIDY AGED 15 SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE, JUST LIKE OTHER BEFORE HIM. LIKE I SAID BEFORE IN MY OTHER POST.

Stop posting please.

 

[incentivation]

The NSW police force has been riddled with constant corruption scandals for decades. There's nothing minimal about them.

They have a fuckload of power and a proven history of abusing it. They should be subject to the finest scrutiny from the public.

I see generalised statements, but nothing substantiated. If you believe Roger Rogerson is the norm, then that's your prerogative. The Wood Royal Commission cleaned up much of the Force, and the 'endemic' corruption of which you talk has well and truly been flushed away. The Force in 2008 is very different to that which existed in the 1980's. Legislative and procedural reform has facilitated this progression.

The pendulum has probably swung too far the other way. The police are so greatly hampered by legislation and procedure, prosecution often becomes too much of a burden.

I never opposed scrutiny. In fact, I said that the officer's involved would go through an extensive investigation to determine the truth. Rightly so. Of course, if only all arms of government underwent the same levels of scrutiny. To generalise however, reflects your ignorance.

I do hope if and when you require police assistance in the future, you look elsewhere.

 

[P.T.F.E]

I see generalised statements, but nothing substantiated. If you believe Roger Rogerson is the norm, then that's your prerogative. The Wood Royal Commission cleaned up much of the Force, and the 'endemic' corruption of which you talk has well and truly been flushed away. The Force in 2008 is very different to that which existed in the 1980's. Legislative and procedural reform has facilitated this progression.

The pendulum has probably swung too far the other way. The police are so greatly hampered by legislation and procedure, prosecution often becomes too much of a burden.

I never opposed scrutiny. In fact, I said that the officer's involved would go through an extensive investigation to determine the truth. Rightly so. Of course, if only all arms of government underwent the same levels of scrutiny. To generalise however, reflects your ignorance.

I do hope if and when you require police assistance in the future, you look elsewhere.

agreed

 

[P.T.F.E]

Stop posting please.

haha try and stop me
at least i have an opinion
and have the right to say it
who r u to say anyway, get a life mate and post something useful next time

 

[Graney]

I see generalised statements, but nothing substantiated.

I could post any of the dozens of news articles on police corruption in the past few decades, but it's really unnecessary. Police corruption is pretty much a truism.

The Wood Royal Commission cleaned up much of the Force, and the 'endemic' corruption of which you talk has well and truly been flushed away. The Force in 2008 is very different to that which existed in the 1980's. Legislative and procedural reform has facilitated this progression.

Lateline - 15/2/2001: NSW police corruption audit stalling . Australian Broadcasting Corp
NSW police corruption inquiry

Four years after the Wood Royal Commission.

Of course, this is only the corruption that's found out about. The tip of the iceberg.

I never opposed scrutiny. In fact, I said that the officer's involved would go through an extensive investigation to determine the truth.

You were highly critical of public, if not legal, scrutiny of their actions.

I do hope if and when you require police assistance in the future, you look elsewhere.

If only I was legally empowered to do so.

If you believe Roger Rogerson is the norm, then that's your prerogative.

I'm not saying anything is 'the norm'. I'm saying that police have a huge amount more power than average citizens and thus their actions should always be held to public scrutiny. I'm not trying to prove corruption is widespread, I'm just saying it does and will continue to happen, and given the power they're given, police should never be above basic suspicion. It's good that media and the public are being critical of the police in this case.

 

[incentivation]

You were highly critical of public, if not legal, scrutiny of their actions.

Quote?

I initially stated that all the attention was drawn to the actions of the police and not the youth, and rightfully questioned this.

I went on to say in a later post on page 5, prior to yours

An investigation will take place, the officer's involved will go through an extremely difficult process and ultimately will have to provide evidence that the above justification was satisfied (although it occurred in Victoria).

Referencing an outdated source when considering corruption in 2008??

Much has changed since 2001. Two Commissioners. LEPRA. Internal reform.